New International Shipping Program Returns--Money Back Guarantee Claims

[desdemona1013]

New program sounds great, as ebay would like us to believe.  However, I'm not so sure.

One question:  If buyer claims "item not as described" (buyer's remorse claim) as they often do to avoid paying return shipping, what happens?  Does seller still keep the sale?  Does ebay refund the buyer NO MATTER WHAT REASON the buyer uses?

What happens to the returned item?   Does it get returned to seller, or back to hub so ebay can  "liquidate" (re-sell) it?

Convoluted policy at best.  This part about money back guarantee has not been explained.  I've never shipped internationally and am not going to start doing it now.

[dollysg71]

Not as described claims leave seller at risk of having to pay for expensive return labels back to USA from another country No protections from this with their "new" program

[kyle@ebay]

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@buyselljack2016 wrote:

@desdemona1013 

I also have no answers for you other than what I have posted/linked.

I do not know what process is used at the EIS shipping center to verify to items sent.

You called eBay...................   often that gets an off-shore CSR that reads from a "script". Off-shore CS may not have updated "scripts" to cover the EIS program.

You might try contacting eBay for business on Facebook for a better response. You would message them that you have a question, and they would get back to you privately to discuss your inquiry.

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Hey everyone, all of our agents, both in-house and outsourced, have the same resources, training, and information available to them.  Granted, nobody is perfect, and mistakes can happen, but you should not feel like it is necessary to contact one department over another to get correct information.  

With respect to the question at hand, I'll be happy to provide some clarification.  A seller is simply not responsible for international returns when using eIS.  You can check out more of the FAQ's and details 
here, but I grabbed a screenshot from the returns section that pertains to this question.  

@desdemona1013 

@stuff4divas 

@buyselljack2016 

@umccars 

[desdemona1013]

Seller is not responsible for returns / refunds under ANY CIRCUMSTANCES?

Including item not as described cases?

[desdemona1013]

I guess as long as we have you, Kyle@ebay, what's to prevent a seller from sending a faulty or defective item in a box to the hub, that appears fine on the surface, but might be missing a part or something.  How does ebay determine that the item they receive at the hub, is exactly as the seller has described it? I read something about an x-ray machine.  How would this relate to jewelry in particular?  What if seller sends a synthetic gemstone described as genuine, and international buyer claims it is "not as described" after receiving it?  What does ebay do in this circumstance? 

How are items verified when they reach the hub?  Your info says that they are not opened and repackaged.

[buyselljack2016]

I copied & pasted this. I made no highlights to any text. 

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@dollysg71 

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here are a number of benefits to using eBay International Shipping, including protections through eBay Money Back Guarantee cases:

• If an item is lost or damaged during international shipping, you will not be found at fault if your buyer opens an eBay Money Back Guaranteecase.
• Your seller performance standards and Service Metrics won’t be affected by late deliveries or eBay Money Back Guarantee cases attributed to international shipping.
• Any negative or neutral feedback from item handling during international transit will be removed from your account.
• We’ll handle international returns on your behalf, including Not as Described claims.

QUESTION:

it also says

We recognize that international returns can be a hassle, so we’ll handle them on your behalf. 

When a return is opened, we’ll provide the buyer with a return label to ship it back to a consolidation center. Upon receipt of the return, we’ll refund your buyer and you get to keep the sale.

You're protected from neutral or negative feedback, and we will remove any related defects, including opened cases in service metrics. See eBay International Shipping terms and conditionsfor more information.

[buyselljack2016]

From the Wednesday Chat with eBay Staff...............................  many such items will not even be shipped back to eBay in the USA. They will be liquidated internationally.

I was auto enrolled on one account, but because of my community board awareness, and eBay announcements I knew it may be coming.

My current county blocks will preclude me from any international selling under the EIS program YMMV

[desdemona1013]

Notice it says We’ll handle international returns on your behalf, including Not as Described claims.

Doesn't say HOW they will be handled. I've been around the block with ebay since 2006 and this is "fine print."  HANDLING is most likely going to be to send the seller a message stating that the refund will come out of the seller's funds.  IF EBAY PLANS TO REFUND ALL INTERNATIONAL BUYERS FOR RETURNS, NO MATTER WHAT THE REASON, THEY NEED TO SAY THAT IN NO UNCERTAIN TERMS.

[desdemona1013]

Kyle, this thread has MORPHED unnecessarily--it was just this one question.

I would just like to know what this means:

"We’ll handle international returns on your behalf, including Not as Described claims."

What will ebay do to "handle" the Not as Described claims?

Just that one simple answer.

Thank you!!

[wastingtime101]

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@desdemona1013 wrote:

HANDLING is most likely going to be to send the seller a message stating that the refund will come out of the seller's funds.

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NOV '22 SELLER CHECK-IN question: eBay International Shipping says sellers don't have to worry about returns or refunds, but within the terms of service there's text that says eBay may return items to the seller and refund buyers from the seller's account. It's a complete contradiction and sellers don't know what info to trust with this service. So what info should sellers rely on when the TOS contradicts the advertised info about not having to handle post-sale issues?

Answer from Meghan Rao, eBay: eBay will take responsibility for the item once it reaches the hub with valid tracking information. However; if an item arrives at the hub and an exception arises regarding prohibited items (firearms, illegal substances, incorrect item) then eBay may return the item to the Seller and refund from the Sellers account.

[wastingtime101]

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@desdemona1013 wrote:

I would just like to know what this means:

"We’ll handle international returns on your behalf, including Not as Described claims."

What will ebay do to "handle" the Not as Described claims?

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How will international returns be handled?

Once your item is received undamaged at the domestic shipping hub, your sale is considered complete. If the buyer opens a return, eBay will issue a refund at no cost to you.

https://www.ebay.com/sellercenter/shipping/ebay-international-shipping/faqs#shipping-and-packaging

[desdemona1013]

This still does not answer my question about how they will "handle" a refund to a buyer who says the item is not as described, which may actually be the fault of the seller.  The terms of "money back guarantee" state that seller will provide a refund.  What is to prevent a seller from sending a counterfeit item to buyer, and expecting ebay to refund the buyer if Item Not as Described claim is opened?  I doubt ebay would get itself in this position.

[1tuna]

I am sure ebay is going to keep track of seller returns/SNAD in the eIS program

I could sell my friends in other countries expensive  junk and have ebay refund us both

I am sure I can get away with it but not for long .ebay is aware of many things

I am sure many ebayers have wondered the same same thing

its easy to profit from eIS and I intend to do so by shipping items that are as described

I will not be colluding with any foreign ebayers to enrich them selves and me thru trickery and deceit

@desdemona1013 

[stuff4divas]

@desdemona1013   here are the 2 links pertaining to EIS, decide for yourself>

https://www.ebay.com/sellercenter/shipping/ebay-international-shipping#update-your-current-listings-...

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/shipping-items/setting-shipping-options/ebay-international-shippin...

[desdemona1013]

Thank you--I had read through all of these links like three times looking for an answer to my question about Items Not as Described claims.  FINALLY FOUND IT!!

In the section entitled:

EBAY INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING TERMS AND CONDITIONS.

It is buried in Section 8.

Section 8 is entitled "Lost, Damaged or Undeliverable Items."

Underneath the last subsection (vi) in Section 8 there is a random paragraph that reads:

"You will not be responsible under the eBay Money Back for the loss of, or damage to, an EIS Item after its acceptance at the US Shipping Hub. However, if eBay finds in the Buyer’s favor in an eBay Money Back Guarantee case relating to an EIS Item, you may be responsible for the amount that has been paid to you by your Buyer."

This is all I was looking for.  Whether there was a situation in which an international buyer could claim that an item was not as described, and I'd be stuck with the refund to that buyer, as well as return costs to get it back to the States. 

thanks for the compliment on my doggo...

[desdemona1013]

FOUND IT!!!!

In the section entitled:

EBAY INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING TERMS AND CONDITIONS.

It is buried in Section 8.

Section 8 is entitled "Lost, Damaged or Undeliverable Items."

Underneath the last subsection (vi) in Section 8 there is a random paragraph that reads:

"You will not be responsible under the eBay Money Back for the loss of, or damage to, an EIS Item after its acceptance at the US Shipping Hub. However, if eBay finds in the Buyer’s favor in an eBay Money Back Guarantee case relating to an EIS Item, you may be responsible for the amount that has been paid to you by your Buyer."

In the section entitled:

EBAY INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING TERMS AND CONDITIONS.

It is buried in Section 8.

Section 8 is entitled "Lost, Damaged or Undeliverable Items."

Underneath the last subsection (vi) in Section 8 there is a random paragraph that reads:

"You will not be responsible under the eBay Money Back for the loss of, or damage to, an EIS Item after its acceptance at the US Shipping Hub. However, if eBay finds in the Buyer’s favor in an eBay Money Back Guarantee case relating to an EIS Item, you may be responsible for the amount that has been paid to you by your Buyer."

"You may be responsible" means "You WILL be responsible."  This is all I was asking.  Personally, I don't need the stress of an international buyer opening a buyer's remorse claim for Item not as Described and me having to worry about getting the item back, paying customs, etc and refunding the buyer if ebay decided to find in buyer's favor.   It isn't worth the extra couple of sales to me, which is why I'm opting out.